A 39-year-old woman is accused of fraudulently withdrawing more than $20,000 from a dead woman's bank account, starting the day after the 75-year-old Troutdale woman passed away, according to court records.

Kera Denise Johnson, who also goes by the last name Avery, was arraigned Friday on 37 counts of identity theft, and one count each of first-degree criminal mistreatment and first-degree aggravated theft.

Johnson, who had cared for the woman as part of her home-care employment, said she stole the woman's money "mostly for my opiates,'' according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Johnson made more than 50 transactions with the deceased woman's debit card, using her PIN, at various locations in Oregon and Washington.

The transactions were made at Fred Meyer stores in Portland, Gresham, and Salem, and at banks and stores in Woodburn, Springfield and in Lacey and Ridgefield, Wa., according to court documents filed Friday.

Johnson had been taking care of the 75-year-old woman at her Troutdale home before her death. She had been assigned to care for her on Jan. 23, 24 and Jan. 31 during night-shifts at the elderly woman's home, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Johnson told police that she found the victim's card sitting on a desk with the PIN nearby, the affidavit said.

Johnson suddenly stopped coming to work in early March, according to court records. The court records did not identify the company where Johnson had worked.

Johnson was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center, where she's being held on $210,000 bail. Her next court date is Aug. 11.